HMS Hermes kinda got left out in the cold didn't it.

[Sredni]

CVL Hermes kinda got the short end of the stick in WitP didn't it. If you happen to keep it alive (unlike RL where it sank in 42) it loses its airgroup, never upgrades its AA, and to top it off it doesn't even get radar. I suppose though we're lucky it doesn't withdraw like all the other british carriers.

What do ya'll do with the Hermes in your games? I was thinking of sticking a VMF squadron on it though it seems kinda ahistoric to stick an american airgoup on a british carrier. I wish there were a british squadron I could put on it (are there any possibilities?).

[YankeeAirRat]

The few times that I have managed to save it, I have used it as a ferry to get aircraft from one side of India over to Sri Lanka or into Northern Burma

[HansBolter]

After it loses it's airgroup I transfer a different squadron of Swordfish to it and send it off to hunt surface raiders that keep preying on my Capetown to Perth shipping route. There is no air threat in that area so it's lack of a fighter group is not a hindrance in this task.

[spence]

The FAA didn't assign air groups as part of a ship's company in the fashion of the IJN (their personnel/health/training files were administered by a squadron/group staff that was separate from the ship and moved with the squadron) This was similar to the system of administration used in the USN. Thus you can assign a different air squadron/group to Hermes and use it however you see fit.

The IJN system of assigning the squadron and its personnel to a particular ship's company administratively was very much less flexible. When a squadron took heavy losses in a battle (as in every single CV battle in WWII) it would not be replaced with a similar squadron but would be rebuilt and that would take time. Thus even though the CV itself was in perfect shape it would be out of action because it's air group was out of action (like Zuikaku after Coral Sea: one instance where it would very likely could have changed the outcome of Midway {a great what if}).

[Fallschirmjager]

I use it in the same manner that a lot of USN carriers got converted after the war. A dedicated ASW carrier.

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

After it loses it's airgroup I transfer a different squadron of Swordfish to it and send it off to hunt surface raiders that keep preying on my Capetown to Perth shipping route. There is no air threat in that area so it's lack of a fighter group is not a hindrance in this task.

Hans -

I like and will consider your idea!

Mac

[herwin]

Per this site, replacement of the 5.5in armament by eight twin 4.5in guns was intended.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Mac Linehan

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

After it loses it's airgroup I transfer a different squadron of Swordfish to it and send it off to hunt surface raiders that keep preying on my Capetown to Perth shipping route. There is no air threat in that area so it's lack of a fighter group is not a hindrance in this task.

Hans -

I like and will consider your idea!

Mac

If you are playing historical campaigns you might not have the degree of threat in that area that I have playing the Ironman scenario but it still may be useful.

In Ironman there is significant contingent of German surface raiders, Atlantis, Orion and Admiral Hipper in the Indian Ocean and the Japanese have a much larger contingent of AMCs everywhere. If you play Ironman make sure you have an escort for it that can handle the Hipper. I put one of the old BBs, a 29 speed CL and 3-4 DDs with it as escort for the surface raider hunting task.

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: herwin

Per this site, replacement of the 5.5in armament by eight twin 4.5in guns was intended.

I create an upgrade for her in my personal mod. I do the same thing for the dutch ships that don't upgrade because they sank in early 42. Is Exeter one as well? I don't remember what ships I created upgrades for. Repulse might be one too.

[crsutton]

The Hermes is fairly fast. She is good for scouting and raiding. If you lose her it is not a disaster. Not very good range though.